He uses polysomnography, multiple sleep latency testing, maintenance-of-wakefulness testing and actigraphy in the diagnosis and management of these disorders.

He also attends on the general neurology service at Harborview Medical Center, where he cares for patients with stroke, epilepsy and other acute neurological disorders.

Research Interests

Dr. Watson is currently researching the genetic aspects of habitual sleep duration, sleepiness and circadian rhythms in conjunction with the UW Twin Registry.

As part of this work, he is also investigating the impact of habitual sleep curtailment on metabolism, including the effect on obesity and glucose regulation. He is interested in the interplay between neurological disorders and sleep and has investigated sleep disorders and sleep quality in patients with traumatic brain injury and Arnold-Chiari-1 malformations.

He is a member of the UW Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research.

Education

Institution

Credential

Year

Univ. of Washington

Master

2009

Univ. of North Carolina SOM

Medical education

1996

UW - Dept. of Neurology

Fellowship

UW - Dept. of Neurology

Residency

UW - Division of General Internal Medicine

Internship

Degree

Description

Year

MD

1996

Board Certifications

Certification

Specialty

Year

American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology

Sleep Medicine

2007

American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology

Neurology

2002

Dr. Watson is a board certified neurologist and sleep specialist. He joined the UW faculty in 2002 and is an active researcher, teacher and practitioner of sleep medicine. His research interests focus on genomic aspects of sleep duration and the effects of sleep curtailment on metabolism and inflammation. He is a UW associate professor of neurology and co-director of the UW Medicine Sleep Center.

Nationally, Dr. Watson is current president of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and American Sleep Medicine Foundation